In all of these efforts, as in his speaking, Chris takes a profoundly personal approach to large scale mental health issues. His mom fled Vietnam in 1978 when he was four months old, making him one of the first “boat people.” After a year in a refugee camp, they were sponsored by an American family to come to the U.S. Chris spends his life trying to provide the same kind of refuge that he felt in that moment, for others. He’s a credible breath of fresh air for a tech audience, given his collaborations with Facebook among others, but also brings unusual expertise to a mental health conference where few have done as much work online as he has. He’s also a hit with college students, who are aching for a relatable voice on the dark nights of the soul they inevitably face.

It's in listening to young people—the ones who are hurting, the ones who have tried to kill themselves, the kids who have lost friends—that we find new ideas.